Minkus: Don Quixote (Sofia National Opera Orchestra / Boris Spassov)

Ballet Music for Marius Petipa's Don Quixote, (mostly) by Ludwig Minkus. Sofia National Opera Orchestra / Boris Spassov.

前幾天是奧地利出生，後移居並在俄國打出名聲的芭蕾舞樂作曲家Ludwig (Léon) Minkus (03.23.1826 – 12.07.1917)的兩百年誕辰。一如往常，絕對可以保證龔詩堯兄有詳細介紹生平的格文。

恰巧又看到灣區這邊，同是美國歷史最悠久的芭蕾舞團SF Ballet現在正在表演Minkus所配樂的芭蕾舞，讓我不禁想到大學的一段回憶。

Concert: Theotime Langlois de Swarte (03/22/2026)

Théotime Langlois de Swarte returns to Berkeley with an afternoon of solo violin concert.

Concert: Concerto Koln + Shunske Sato + Max Volbers (03/14/2026)

SFEMS presents Concerto Köln. Shunske Sato & Max Volbers. Attending Concerto Köln concert again after 14 years. Finally seeing Shunske Sato live for the first time. Last but not least, the brilliant young recorder/harpsichord player Max Volbers.

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque + Pearls of Sorrow (03/13/2026)

Pearls of Sorrow. Philharmonia Baroque concert featuring guest conductor Christine Brandes and countertenor Reginald Mobley with an interesting program of mainly German mid-Baroque sacred music and African-American spirituals. An evening of beautiful singing by Mobley.

Concert: Voices of Music + Danielle Reutter-Harrah - Valentine's Day Concerts 2026 Music of England & Italy (02/13/2026)

Voices of Music Concert. Valentine's Day Concerts 2026. Music of England & Italy. 

Another fantastic concert by Voices of Music. Wonderful program, amazing singing from Danielle Reutter-Harrah, and feisty playing from Elizabeth Blumenstock and Augusta McKay Lodge, as always!

Concert: Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra - Baroque Garlands (02/08/2026)

 

Super Baroque Sunday!  

Emeritus conductor McGegan is back conducting the Philharmonia Baroque. Handel's Dixit Dominus, one of my favorite sacred Baroque pieces, and much lesser-known Rameau's La Guirlande. 

Giacomo Facco 350th Birth Anniversary. Pensieri Adriarmonici. Amor es todo imbención: Júpiter y Amphitrión.

Giacomo Facco (02.04.1676 – 02.16.1753) 350th birth anniversary. 

Pensieri Adriarmonici. 

Amor es todo imbención: Júpiter y Amphitrión.

Concert: Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Riccardo Muti (01/17/2026)

Muti guest conducts Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Hearing CSO live after more than 20+ years. 

Francesco Cavalli 350th death anniversary. Life. Sacred Music. Operas

Francesco Cavalli (02.14.1602 – 01.14.1676) 350th death anniversary. 

早至中期巴洛克時期重要的作曲家裡，另一位我先前接觸比較少的是Francesco Cavalli。長期以來，只知道他是銜接早期Monteverdi與巴洛克晚期歌劇的重要橋梁，寫有至少40幾齣歌劇。之前有個已倒閉的德國廠牌Cavalli Records，錄製了不少小眾的古樂專輯，就是根據他而命名的。

大量接觸聲樂之後，我開始慢慢拉近與Cavalli的距離。除了入手幾齣他的歌劇全曲錄音之外，還有幾張他比較被忽略的宗教音樂專輯。因此今年他逝世的350週年，簡單介紹一下他的生平與手上的一些專輯。

Dukas 160th birth and 90th death annivesary. Dukas Edition (Warner). Prix de Rome works (Bru Zane)

Dukas (10.1.1865 – 05.17. 1935) 160th birth and 90th death anniversary.

Published works (solo piano, chamber, orchestral, opera) by Warner and early unpublished works by Bru Zane.

Ravel 150th Birth Anniversary. Complete Works by Warner

Ravel (03.07.1875 – 12.28.1937) 150th birth anniversary. The Complete Works box set by Warner.

2025年冥誕與逝世大週年的重要作曲家還蠻多的，自己設下的聆聽目標，在有限時間內只得做出一定的取捨。今年最瘋狂的，莫過於先前貼過的Johann Strauss II(小史特勞斯)管弦樂作品全集。而上半年開始卻未完成的Warner那套Ravel全集，則是近來在聖誕假期內完成。

Arnold Matthias Brunckhorst: Opera Omnia (Ensemble Musica Poetica Freiburg)

Forgotten music by Arnold Matthias Brunckhorst (c1670－1725). Keyboard works, Christmas History (Oratorio), and Easter History (Oratorio).

「必須得這樣做，不然可是(Brunckhorst)會被罵的！」

Baroque Christmas Music medley (12/25/2025)

Baroque Christmas Music medley (from mostly CPO).

Bizet: Carmen + Les pêcheurs de perles (Solti/Plasson/Bloch)

Revisiting Bizet's most beloved operas in his 150th death anniversary year.

Concert: SF Symphony Youth Orchestra - Peter and the Wolf (12/14/2025)

Boys' first orchestra experience at Davies Hall, also mine in a long time..... SF Symphony Youth Orchestra presents Peter and the Wolf. Highly impressed with the high standard of playing.